Microsoft Sets Passkeys as Default for New Users – No More Passwords
Research shows that simple passwords are easy targets for hackers, making traditional login methods increasingly unsafe. As a result, major tech companies are urging users to move away from passwords. Hackers now use advanced techniques to bypass outdated security measures. Following in Google’s footsteps, Microsoft is also pushing for a passwordless future. The company now recommends using passkeys instead of passwords and has made them the default option for all new Microsoft accounts.
The company is now asking users to sign up for new accounts by only using more secure methods like passkeys, push notifications, and security keys.
Microsoft Sets Passkeys as Default for New Users – No More Passwords
This new initiative comes with a redesigned sign-in window. The steps are now reordered. This makes the login process smoother and focused on passkeys.
The current accounts won’t have to shed their passwords. However, new ones will try and leave them behind by not prompting you to create a password at all. This is what Microsoft said about this.
As part of this simplified UX, we’re changing the default behavior for new accounts. Brand new Microsoft accounts will now be “passwordless by default.” New users will have several passwordless options for signing into their account and they’ll never need to enroll a password. Existing users can visit their account settings to delete their password.
With today’s changes, Microsoft is renaming “World Password Day” to “World Passkey Day” instead and pledges to continue its work implementing passkeys over the coming year. This time last year, the company implemented passkeys into consumer accounts. Microsoft says it’s seeing “nearly a million passkeys registered every day,” and that passkey users have a 98 per cent success rate of signing in versus 32 per cent for password-based accounts.
See also: Why Passkeys Are the Future of Digital Security
A few days back, Microsoft also wanted its users to stop using passwords. Microsoft reports that it blocks around 7,000 password-related attacks per second, which is nearly double the number from the previous year. These rising threats have prompted the company to accelerate its transition to a password-free future.
Similarly, Google has also issued a security warning suggesting that users should stop using their passwords. Both companies emphasise using passkeys. But how are passkeys more secure than passwords? Basically, a passkey is linked to your own physical device and requires your device security to unlock your Google account. So, if an attacker does not have your device, they can’t log in. This feature provides enough security to stay safe.
